Automatic electric-motor-driven mail and package deliverer.



N0-'892,586. PATENTBD JULY 7, 1908. G. H. FERLIN.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC MO OR DRIVEN MAIL AND PACKAGE DBLIVERER.

I APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1, 1907.

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v G. H. FERLIN. AUTOMATIOYELEOTRIO MOTOR DRIVEN MAIL AND PACKAGE DBLIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1907. I

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PATBNTED JULY 7, 1908. A

, Improvements in over a track, there being UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. EERLIN,

OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO DORA WEINGARD, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIG-MOTOR-DBIVEN MAIL AND PACKAGE DELIVER/ER.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented July 7, 1908.

Application am m 1, i907. Serial No. 371,323.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. FERLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Die 0, in the county of San Diego, California, have invented new and useful Automatic Electric-Motor- Driven Mail and Package Deliverers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail or package delivering apparatus of that type in which the carriers are each equipped with a propelling motor for moving the carrier from station. to station, and relates more particularly to the traction mechanism for such carriers adapted particularly for use in connection with electric motors.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of apparatus .of this character so as to be comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and install, and reliable and efficient in service.

A further object of the'invention is the rovision of a package delivery apparatus in which the carriers are mounted to run a propeller wheel on each carrier which is driven by suitable gearing from the motor included in thecarrier.

Another object of the invention is the employment of a rack and pinion mechanism used in connection with the track, whereby the carrier can move vertically toward or from a station to the main portion of the track.

With these objects in view and others, as

' will appear as the description proceeds, the

invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described ereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus showing the terminal of an aerial or overhead track thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the carriers showing the same passing oiger a switch connecting a branch to the main track of the system.

State of system with the carriers I Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the present instance, I have elected to illustrate the invention as an overhead or aerial system but it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in this respect.

Referring to the drawing, track consisting of a cable or 1 designates a the like which is strung on poles or other suitable supports 2 and on which the carriers A are adapted to travel. At each station, as at B, is a vertically-extending rail 3 that forms a part of the track on which the carrier travels, and the upper portion of this rail is curved as at 4 so as to permit the carrier to pass to the station from the track, or vice versa, thereby permitting the carriers to be brought within convenient reach of the attendants at the stations to place in or remove from the holders packages, mail or the like. The vertical portions 3 or continuations of the track 1 are secured to the posts 2 in any suitable manner, as for instance, by spikes 5, and disposed between each post and adjacent vertical portion 3 isa member 6 that carries a rack 7 which follows the contour of the rail or vertical portion 3. Suspended on the osts 2'in parallelism with the track over whic the car riers pass is a ourrentsupply wire 8 which furnis 1es current for driving the motors of the various carriers. At each station is arranged a shield 9 for preventing persons from coming into contact with the current conducting parts of the apparatus, and on this shield-(as shown in Fig. 1) is a stop 10 disposed in the path of the motor so as to limit the downward movement of the latter when the carrier reaches the station. Also to retard the movement ofthe carrier, the lower end of the rail 2 is spread at 11.

Each carrier comprises. a receptacle 0r holder 12 of any suitable shape and provided with a door 13. The holder is mounted on the'lower end of an L-shaped'su porting member or frame 14, and secure to the laterally-extendin arm 1-5 at' the opposite side from the hol er is an electric motor 16 of any suitable type. On the up or end of the frame 14 is bolted a fixed a e 17 that carries a propelling wheel 18 that has a that engage thetra'ck and cooperate wth the wheel 18 to retain the carrier in position, the

. weight of the motor and holder 12 being so distributed as to maintain the frame 14 in vertical position when the carrier is traveling on the horizontal ortion of the track. The

frame 14 is forme with a slot 21 in which arranged a spring 22 that operated on a block 23 that is fixed on the cross piece and extends'into the slot so as to yieldingly hold the-wheels in engagement with the track,

' and at the same time cause the propelling wheel 18 to .frictionally grip the track for eflectivel propelling carrier. Secured to the prope ingwheel 18 is a sprocket wheel 24 which hes in the same plane with the sprocket wheel of the shaft 26 of the motor, and passingaround the sprocket wheel is a chain 27 whereby ower is imparted to the driving wheel 18 cm the motor. Also on the wheel 18 is a pinion 28 located at such a point as to v be brought into mesh with the teeth of the rack 7 at each station of the system, so as to permit the carriers to pass to the verticall extending portions of the track. It is to e noted that these vertically-extending portions 3 arewider than the diameter of the main portion '1 of the track so that as the carrier'leaves the track 1 and passes on the 01'- tion 3, the wheels 20 are spread away om the, driving wheel 18 so that the spring 22 will be compressed and thus cause the wheels to. grip the rail or portion 3 and gradually (hminishthe speed of the carrier. On the upper extremity of the frame 14 is an arm 29' that is provided with a stud 30 and on the stud is a bolt 31 that carries'a current-collectdevice 32 arranged to bear on the current supply wire 8, said device being formed with coiled portions 33 so as to' give flexibility thereto. The arm 29 is insulated as at 34 from the frame 14, and connected with the motor in any suitable manner to one terminal of the motor to supply current thereto,

and the other terminal may-be grounded on the frame 14-so that current will pass by way of the wheels 20 to the track 1 which will form the return conductor of the circuit. In Fig. 3, atrack switch 35 is provided so as to switch the car to either branch 36, or 37, this switch being operated by any suitable means under the control of the attendant.

' From the fore oing description, taken in connection with t e accompanying drawin s, the advantages of the construction and oft e apparent to those skil ed in the art to which themvention appertains, and while I have described ceases ratus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1 '1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a track having an approxi-. matelyvertical portion, a rack disposed along the vertical portion, a carrier provided with propelling means, wheels on the carriage engaging the track at opposite sides thereof, and a pinion on the'carrier adapted to mesh with the rack for propelling the carrier over thevertical portion of thetrack.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a horizontally-extending track, a carrier having wheels engagin under and over the track, an approximate y vertically-extending rail having one end curved into tangential relation to the track and over which the carrier travels, and means for propelling the carrier on said rail.

3. 11 an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a track having horizontal and vertical extending ortions, the vertically-extending portion eing thicker than the other, a carrier movable over the track,

wheels on the ,carrier yieldingly urged toward each other and engaging the trackatopposite sides, means on the carrier for drivmg one of'the wheels, and additional means for driving the carrier on the vertical portion of the track. v

4. In an apparatus'of the class described,

.the combinat1on of a track arranged to extend from one station to another, a verticallyextending rail at a station and curved at one extremity into tangential relation with the track, a rack disposed arallel with the rail, a current-supply wire ollowing the contour of the track and rail, a carrier, propelling means on the carrier, and a pinion driven by the propelling mechanism and arranged to mesh with the rack.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a track, a rack disposed along a portion thereof, 'a carrier, a holder thereon, a motor on the carrier, a driving wheel on the carrier and engagingthe track, driving'connections between the motor and wheel, a pinion rotating with the said'wheel and arranged to mesh with the rack, a cross piece on the carrier, wheels thereon for engaging the track at the side opposite from the driving Wheel, and means for yieldingly urging the wheels into engagement with the opposlte sides of the track. I

6. The combination of a track, with a carriage movable thereon, said carriage come.

aeaaao a prising a frame, wheels mounted on the frame trame,'and a current-collecting device mountand arflangefd to engage the 'trfa'ck at opposite ed on the frame; sides t ereo yie ding means or maintaining the wheels into engagement with the track, GEORGE FERLIN 5 a' motor on the frame, a sprocket and chain Witnesses:

mechanism between the motor and one of the J. W. Mnrs'rrm wheels, a package holder mounted on the G; U. FRY. 

